Formaldehyde-generator.



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No. 813,363. PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

` A. E. DIETE-RICH. PORMALDEHYDE GENERATOR.

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PATENTED FEB. y20, 1906.

A. E. DIETBRICH.

FORMALDEHYDE GENERATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 8,1904.

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ALBERT ninrnnicn, or wAsHiNeroN, Dis'rnrcr or coLnMBri.-

FORMALDEHYDE-GENERATH..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented' Feb. 20, 1906.

Application iilefl August 8, 1904. Serial No. 220,001.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that i, ALBERT EzDIETERIcH, residing at Washington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented a certain new .and lm-v hyde-gas from Wood-,alcohol and. simultaneously to produce a water-vapor by utilizing the heat due to the'chemical reaction when ythe alcohol is changed into aldehyde.

The main object of my invention is to provide a formaldehyde-generator of a very simple and economical lnature which can be manufactured at a cost. that will make its general use possible and in which the several parts are so arranged and cooperatively combined that they can be used by any one of ordinary intelligence without the least danger.

My invention also comprehends a gener ator ofthe kind stated in which it is possible to produce a greater'- amount `of formaldehyde from alcohol and to simultaneously mix the alcohol-fumes with water-vapor,I

as i have found from practical experience that when formaldehyde is in the presence of moisture its disinfecting, fumigating, and medicinal properties areA greatly increased.

.Another object of my invention is to provide a simpleform of generating means of the character stated which includes an air# controlling device fixedly connected withI the generating vessel and capable of being in# stantly adjusted for cutting off or opening up air to the interior parts thereof.

- Generically my invention includes a gener-f ator'ad-a ted to. be attached to an ordil'ialy alcoholamp andincludes a, casing within which is suspended a water-holding recepta-l cle including a Water-chamber anda gas-gen erating chamber, the water-chamber entirely surrounding the generator-chamber, where-A by the `heat caused `by the chemical reaction 'within the generating-chamber will vaporize the water in vthe waterchamber, which water-vapor and generated gas will pass off together.

l My invention also includes means for mixing the water-vapors and the generated gases as they are evolved and before they are delivered from l the generator. l With other objects in view, which will be hereinafter full explained, my invention also lincludes certain novel construction and ar-` rangement of parts, all of which will be first described in detail and then specifically pointed ,out inthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- A Figure 1 is a perspectlve vieWof my invention as applied for use as an ordinary fumigator. tion thereof. Fi 3 is a transverse section on the line'3 3 o Fig. 2. Fig. 4' is a. detail perspective view of the water]- holder-and gas-generating chamber detached. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of a further modification hereinafter specificallyv referred to. Fig. 6 is another modification of my invention hereinafter specifically' referred to.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals and 'letters of re erence indicate .like parts in all the figures, 1 designates a casing which is preferably of a cylindrical shape, and the said ,casing has its Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sec.

bottom 1a apertured and formedy so as to be fitted on the burner B of any approved type, preferably an ordinary alcohol-lamp burner. Near the bottom the casing 1 Vis provided with an aperture closed by the ate or door 1`b, through which the wick 'w of t ve burner B may be lighted. The-caslng is providedwith a` lurality of apertures 1n l", with which the :sli ing gate 2, having registering apertures 2a, coperates. The gate' 2 is held 1n place by lugs 1d, stamped from the casing 1, and has a knob 2b, by means Yof which .it can be operated. Above the gate 2 the casing1 is provided With a horizontal bead 1e, which forms .al stopfor the top 3, which in the preferred form of my inventiony is preferably dome shape and is provided with outlet-apertures "55a and a knob 3* for the purposes readily understood. 4 designates a sheetfmetal division member of a truncated conical shape Whose larger end 4a is outwardly yfiared to rest in the bead 1e of the casing 1, and the conical division member 4 projects downwardly withits smaller end 4b near the bottom 1a of the casing 1, so as to form an air-chamber A, extending from the apertures 1c to the bottom 1a of the casing. 1. Arranged Within the division IOO member 4 is` a chimney/5, which is also prefsion member A1, to which it is welded or otherwise securely joined. The chimney 5 extends upwardly and has its small end 5b tel'- IIO om the water-chamber hereinafter again referred to,

` from backing-over into the formaldehydel l ings it will be seen the formaldehyde-generan" :generating chamber F, also hereinafter a ain referred to. The chimney 5 forms a islrcarrying member and is providedwith beads 5C 5cto receive the a ertured disks 6 6 of prepared platinized as estos or other similar material. 'l

The chimney 5 includes what l shall here-A inafter term the "formaldehyde-generatin' chamber F, while the cnical member l and the chimney 5 form between them what shall hereinafter term the Watenchamber or f j acket W. Arranged above the generating and air chambers F, W, andr is a miner 7, consisting of a perforated screen or bae whose edge 7a rests on the flared edge la of the member 4, andthe said mixer 7 causes the enerated gas and vapor to commingle and ecome thoroughly mixed'before they pass out ofthe generator. v

8 desi ates an indicatingerod which carries a cor 8 to project into the'water-chamber W to determine the height of thel water therein. By reference to Fig. 2 of the drawing chamber F extends practically the entire heightV of the casing 1, as does also the Wa-ter# chamber W and the air-chamber A, the formaldehyde-chamber F Ibeing surrounded by the water-chamber W,.which serves as a water-j acket therefor, while'the water-chamber W is in turn surrounded by the lair-chamber A. The formaldehyde and water chambers F and W are incommunication with each other at the to thereof, while the formaldehyde and air c ambers F and A. are in communication with each. other at the bottom thereof.

So far as described the manner of operation of my invention canbest be explained as follows The operatorfirst lls the water-chainn ber W with water (lil) and then ignites the l wick w of the alcohol-burner B thnou'gh the door lb and also opens the air-inlets l". As soon as the lowerdish @has become heated to near incandescence the operator closes the door l and the air-inlets lc, thereby cutting off the air-suppl of the dame, causing it to be come entinguis ed. ile then inmediately opens the air-inlets lc l sufficiently to feed enough air to the disks '96 d to cause them to absorb suilicient oxygen to oxidiae the alcohol as it passes thereover to form the formaldehyde according to the following reaction:

(@Hlww @s (CHZb (H2002- heated, sufficiently to causethewater in thei erases water-chamber-W tovaporize.- The Water-I' vapors from the chamber W and the formaldehyde-gas from the'formaldehydagenerating chamberl F then pass together through the mixer 7, whereby they become thoroughly mtermixed ere they pass out of the generator.

. By feeding the air from the top of the casing 1 through the apertures le in the direction of the arrows i'n` Fig.' 2 the same is permitted to become warmed sufficiently tocassist in vaporizing the alcohol from the Wick w, as well as preventing the vdisks 6 @from becoming cool, which would be the case were cold air fed to thedisk rather than heated air. p

lt will be observed that my'construction of lgenerator permits of an'efiective andsimple regulation of air to the formaldehyde-generating chamber and burner, it being under- 1 stood that should at any time itbe desirable to stop thegeneration of gas from the lamp it is only necessary to turn the ate 2 to close the a ertures 1, and thereby s ut'ofi the airsupp y. This will permit the disks 6 6 to cool down and prevent further' generation of formaldehyde.

Among other advanta es my form of generator can be convenient y handled and used for ordinary nasal or bronchial troubles, as it v to penetrate fabrics, crevices, &c., moist forma dehyde has been found a very effective disinfectant. y

When my invention is to be usedfor disin- IOO fecting .ver large rooms, the same will be l constructs on a larger scale than shown in the drawings, but when used for disinfecting IIO small rooms or as an inhaler the same will be constructed about the size shown in Fig. l of the drawings. l

l also desire it understood that any suitable chemical, such ascompound tincture of bensoin, may be added to the water in the waterchamber when the apparatus is used as annihaler in treatment of ytuberculosis and similar lung diseases;

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

l claim, and desire to secureby Letters Paten t, is-'- l. A generator of the character stated7 comprising a casing, a formaldehyde-chamber Within said casing7 a Water-.holding member surrounding said formaldehyde-generating chamber and contained within said c'asing7 an air-chamber surrounding said Watercontaining member and connected by said casing, said air-chamber being in communication withv the atmosphere,` said Water and air Within the generator adapted to be heated by the heat evolvedinthe generating-chamber substantially as shown and described. l

2. A formaldehyde-generator of the character stated comprising a body forming la formaldehyde-generating chamber, and a Water-j acket surrounding said formaldehydegenerating chamber, a easing surrounding said Water-jacket and air-chamber, the Water in the Water-chamber adapted to vaporize from the heat evolved in the generatingchamber. Y f

3. A formaldehyde-generator of the character stated comprising a body forming 'a formaldehyde-generating chamber, and a Water-jacket surrounding said formaldehydegenerating chamber, a casing surrounding gli?) said Water-jacket and air-chamber, the Water in the Water-chamber adapted to vaporize from the heat evolved in the generatingchamber, and means for mixing said gas and vapor.

4. A means for generating formaldehydegas and water-'vapor comprising a casing, supportable over an alcohol-burner, said casing having air-inlets and gas-outlets, a Waterholder and a chimney suspended Within said casing, said chimney forming a gas-generating chamber,v and oxidizing-disks held Within the chimney, all being arranged substantially Vas shown and described.

5. A Jformaldehyde-generator comprising an outer cylindrical casing having airinlet apertures, a disk-carrying member and a Water-containing member suspended Within said outer casing, oxidizing-disks held Within said disk-carrying member, an alcohol-containing means connected tothe bottom of the casing, and a top for saidcasing, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

ALBERT E. DIETERICH.

Witnesses: v

JOHN L. FLETCHER, FRED G. DIETERICH. 

